Qualcomm plan for in-flight Wi-Fi moves ahead

Qualcomm designed the Gogo system. But its speed is limited because it uses 3G technology and has a small sliver of spectrum dedicated to the service, Brenner said.

Other companies offering in-flight Internet service include Row 44 with Southwest Airlines and JetBlue.

Last year, ViaSat signed a deal with a sister company of JetBlue to power fast Internet service from its ViaSat 1 satellite, aiming initially for speeds of 12 megabits per second.

ViaSat-powered Wi-Fi on JetBlue aircraft is expected to launch later this year. United Airlines also has signed up. ViaSat expects to be powering Wi-Fi on 400 commercial jets by the end of 2015.

While Qualcomm may compete with ViaSat eventually, it will likely be a few years before all the rules are written and spectrum auction occurs. Moreover, federal regulators are likely to require a test period to make sure the Qualcomm system doesn’t interfere with satellite signals, said Don Wilcoxson, chief technology officer for ViaSat’s global mobile broadband business.

“It looks on paper like it will work, but the proof is in the implementation,” Wilcoxson said. “It’s a novel approach. We’re all behind novel approaches to serve customers. “